Research Mimics Brain Cells to Boost Memory Power

"The structure…could be used for a range of electronic applications - from memory devices that can be shrunk down to…nanometers, to computer logic architectures that replicate the versatility & response time of a biological neural network." –Dr. Sriram.

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University researchers have brought ultra-fast, nanoscale data storage within striking reach, using technology that mimics the human brain.

The researchers have built a novel nano-structure that offers a new platform for the development of highly stable and reliable nanoscale memory devices.

Project leader Dr. Sharath Sriram (pictured), co-leader of the RMIT Functional Materials and Microsystems Research Group, said the nanometer-thin stacked structure was created using thin film, a functional oxide material more than 10,000 times thinner than a human hair.

"The thin film is specifically designed to have defects in its chemistry to demonstrate a 'memristive' effect - where the memory element's behavior is dependent on its past experiences," Dr. Sriram said.

"The structure we developed could be used for a range of electronic applications - from ultrafast memory devices that can be shrunk down to a few nanometers, to computer logic architectures that replicate the versatility and response time of a biological neural network."

"While more investigation needs to be done, our work advances the search for next generation memory technology that can replicate the complex functions of human neural system - bringing us one step closer to the bionic brain."

The research relies on memristors, touted as a transformational replacement for current hard drive technologies such as Flash, SSD, and DRAM.

Memristors have potential to be fashioned into non-volatile solid-state memory and offer building blocks for computing that could be trained to mimic synaptic interfaces in the human brain.